Looking For Spring

After stitching with the FABs this morning, I headed out to the tulip fields–today is the first day of the local Tulip Festival.

It may be 20 degrees out, but we are still within winter’s grasp as there are no tulips in bloom yet. The owner of the fields told me that by next weekend there would be “some” colour and hopefully within two weeks the fields will be in full bloom. However, he added that it might be longer as there is snow in the forecast for next Thursday!

On the way home, I stopped to take pictures of Mt. Cheam. It is a gorgeous mountain that overlooks our small town. No matter where you are in town, you can get a view of Mt. Cheam.


I managed to find this small plot of daffodils–the only sign that Spring can’t be far off!

9 Patch Pizzazz Progress

These are all my 9 Patch Pizzazz pieces cut and ready to go. The FABs have been having lengthy discussions about block layouts. I am prepared to go with the layout in the book and have cut the following:

From my focus fabric – Merkitties – two 12 1/2″ squares, four 6 1/2″ squares, one 2 1/2″ strip.

From my wave fabric (I believe the author of the book calls this one your companion fabric) – I only had 1/2 yard piece of the merkitties and so I am using the wave fabric to substitute for merkitties. I should have had one yard of merkitties if I was going to follow the pattern exactly – cut one horizontal rectangle 6 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ and two 2 1/2″ strips

From the yellow challenge fabric – I cut three 2 1/2″ strips, one vertical rectangle 12 1/2″ x 6 1/2″, four 6 1/2″ squares

From the green and pink fabrics – I cut three 2 1/2″ strips of each colour

I managed to finish putting together the top (less the borders) by 1:00 pm (that’s starting at 8:00 am). I only managed to make one mistake — I reversed two of the nine patch blocks. I am not going to change it–as Pam says, IIWII (it is what it is). I made another quick switch and unless you really knew what this pattern layout was supposed to look like, you would never notice my mistake. It is now part of the charm of this quilt.

I am not sure whether I am going to go with the border treatment in the book or if I am going to make up my own border design. sometimes these things have to age a bit and you have to consider options before making a decision.

This was a great way to spend the morning–quilting with Internet friends!